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Click here for information on the Knights of Columbus Charity Golf Tournament held on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
If you looked for one word that links our first reading, responsorial psalm and Gospel together it would be easy - shepherd. And 90% of the homilies given today will talk about shepherds and sheep. You get to be in the other 10%. Because if we only focus on the idea of a shepherd we miss a major part of the story of the Gospels and particularly Mark’s gospel. God came to earth, took on human flesh first and foremost to heal us. We often think of Christ as a teacher, and he was. But before he taught, he healed. He cured, fed, cared for and restored to life those he came in contact with. Then he taught.
Today’s passage really acts as a transition, a link, a bridge between what we read last week and what immediately follows today’s reading. Last week we heard the commissioning of the twelve apostles. They were sent out two by two to spread the Good News. Remember how that gospel ended? “The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” They understood Jesus’message, namely that he came first and foremost to heal people. The apostles did what we are called to do. They cared for, healed, helped those in need. It wasn’t what they said, it was what they did. It was leaders that failed to care for their people that made God angry in our first reading when he says, “You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them.” You have not cared for them. Nothing characterizes Christ’s ministry more than his love of and care for people.
If we are going to “do as Christ did”we have to be willing first and foremost to care for others. Care for them before we try to teach them. That is how we evangelize. That is how we spread the good news. That is how we deal with broken families, children that no longer go to church, divorces, fallen away Catholics, irritable neighbors. First care for them, heal their hurts.
We know that. It is part of our nature, because we are created in God’s image and likeness and that is how God is. I’m sure there were times when a child or grandchild fell running down to the lake or tripped in the house and hit the coffee table. That child ran to their mother or grandmother and wanted to be held, to have that cut or bruise healed. They wanted and needed to be cared for, loved, touched. After that you can tell them to walk slower down to the lake or not to play in the living room. But first care for them. Teach them later.
So often when we deal with others we get it backwards. We want to teach first, be sure they know the rules and regulations, understand the doctrines. Then, if they get it, if they agree with us, we will care for them. We go for the mind first and hope the heart will follow. That’s not how Jesus did it. He cared first, healed, fed, touched, won their hearts and THEN he taught.
Following today’s Gospel passage is the story of the feeding of the 5,000. A good question to ask ourselves is why did 5,000 people walk around the lake to hear Jesus speak? They did it because of what we heard last week. The apostles drove out demons, anointed the sick with oil and cured them. Because they had been cared for, healed, the apostles had won their hearts. That’s why they followed Jesus. And what does Jesus tell the disciples when they say how hungry the people are? “You give them something to eat.” He says that to us, we need to give those we meet something to eat. First, care for them, heal them, love them. We can teach them latter.
Today’s passage really acts as a transition, a link, a bridge between what we read last week and what immediately follows today’s reading. Last week we heard the commissioning of the twelve apostles. They were sent out two by two to spread the Good News. Remember how that gospel ended? “The Twelve drove out many demons, and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.” They understood Jesus’message, namely that he came first and foremost to heal people. The apostles did what we are called to do. They cared for, healed, helped those in need. It wasn’t what they said, it was what they did. It was leaders that failed to care for their people that made God angry in our first reading when he says, “You have scattered my sheep and driven them away. You have not cared for them.” You have not cared for them. Nothing characterizes Christ’s ministry more than his love of and care for people.
If we are going to “do as Christ did”we have to be willing first and foremost to care for others. Care for them before we try to teach them. That is how we evangelize. That is how we spread the good news. That is how we deal with broken families, children that no longer go to church, divorces, fallen away Catholics, irritable neighbors. First care for them, heal their hurts.
We know that. It is part of our nature, because we are created in God’s image and likeness and that is how God is. I’m sure there were times when a child or grandchild fell running down to the lake or tripped in the house and hit the coffee table. That child ran to their mother or grandmother and wanted to be held, to have that cut or bruise healed. They wanted and needed to be cared for, loved, touched. After that you can tell them to walk slower down to the lake or not to play in the living room. But first care for them. Teach them later.
So often when we deal with others we get it backwards. We want to teach first, be sure they know the rules and regulations, understand the doctrines. Then, if they get it, if they agree with us, we will care for them. We go for the mind first and hope the heart will follow. That’s not how Jesus did it. He cared first, healed, fed, touched, won their hearts and THEN he taught.
Following today’s Gospel passage is the story of the feeding of the 5,000. A good question to ask ourselves is why did 5,000 people walk around the lake to hear Jesus speak? They did it because of what we heard last week. The apostles drove out demons, anointed the sick with oil and cured them. Because they had been cared for, healed, the apostles had won their hearts. That’s why they followed Jesus. And what does Jesus tell the disciples when they say how hungry the people are? “You give them something to eat.” He says that to us, we need to give those we meet something to eat. First, care for them, heal them, love them. We can teach them latter.